Time
by Seiryuu
Summary: Ron finally gets the courage to ask Hermione out on a date. Her answer, however, is a bit different than what he expected… H/H, of course. R/R, please!


**Title**: Time

**Author**: Seiryuu

**Author e-mail: **Seiryuu_Avatar@msn.com

**Category: **Romance

**Keywords: **Harry, Hermione, Ron, H/H

**Rating**: PG

**Spoilers: **Mild GoF

**Summary**: Ron finally gets the courage to ask Hermione out on a date. The results, however, are a bit different than what he expected… Don't worry, of COURSE this fic is H/H!

**Disclaimer**: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. 

**Author's Note**: Thanks to NAPPA for making me get off my butt and finally find/finish this little fic. I have intentions of making another fic, to finish out this little event. Thanks to Roger, as always, for reading my fic and helping me with them. MT… Well, enjoy. If you like this fic, join my group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HP_Seiryuu/ to receive know when any of my stories are updated, to have access to extra works based on the "With Love" series, and other such goodies. AIM- Akodo Brian, MSN- Seiryuu_Avatar@msn.com 

And a special thank you goes out to Aaron Alliston. Sorry for leaving this so-important part of my fic out. 

* * *

Time

* * *

Ron stood outside of the Gryffindor private quarters, fidgeting with a big bouquet of roses in his hand that he had bought in Hogsmeade only an hour earlier. He had dressed in his best robes (that Fred and George had bought for him that summer), and smoothed down his fiery red hair meticulously. Now, all he had to do was… ask her.

The Fat Lady stared at him, frowning. "You're making me nervous myself, with all your pacing and all your fidgeting. Go inside and ask the girl out, just so I can stop staring at you!" She said, not unkindly. She gestured to the left corner of the portrait. "Now, you know how this goes. Say the password, and voila! You'll be on your way to a romantic dinner for two." 

Ron stopped moving, and stared at the Fat Lady. "You know…" he started slowly, "how many people are in the common room right now?" 

She gave an exasperated sniff as she disappeared for a moment, presumably to check inside. She came back. "Only a few people; the rest all went to sleep, I think. Your friends Harry and Hermione, along with Colin, Ginny, and Parvati are still awake." 

Ron gave a relieved sigh. He would rather not do this in front of a crowd, as he would have had to if he had entered when he first arrived at the painting (thirty minutes ago). It would have been excruciatingly embarrassing to ask her out in front of Harry, but he would understand. All he had to do was ask everyone else out of the room… 

He twisted his neck, getting the cricks out of it, and jumped once or twice. "Okay, Ron, you can do it," he murmured to himself. He looked up at the Fat Lady. "Lion's Pride," he said clearly. The portrait opened with eagerness, and as he walked through the portal, he thought he heard a soft "finally!" from the guardian of the door. Being a gentleman, of course, Ron decided to ignore that little remark. Anyway, the people in the room had their eyes on him, and now was not the time to stop and curse the poor painting. 

He stopped only a few feet inside the common room. He could feel all the gazes on him, taking into account the nice clothes, the cleaned-up look, and the flowers in his hands. He saw his fellow Gryffindors start to smile at each other, all except for his two best friends, Harry and Hermione. They only looked at him, waiting for him to move. 

Ron moved quickly, trying to reach Hermione as soon as possible. He saw out of the corner of his eyes Parvati's smile fade slightly when he passed by her quickly. Harry's eyes widened momentarily when he realized whom Ron was aiming for. 

Harry cleared his throat loudly. When Ron stopped moving, about five feet from Hermione, Harry stood up quickly from his seat next to Hermione. "Well, guys," he said brightly, "I think it's way past time for me to hit the bed. Colin, Ginny, Parvati; what about you guys?" He waited, hands on his waist, until the three moved towards their respective rooms. When the last door closed, Harry smiled at Hermione. 

"We'll finish the Potions homework later, then? Sweet dreams," he said softly. She nodded, and smiled back at him in return. He turned, gave a solemn nod (the effect of which was wrecked by a quick wink he sent him) to Ron, and headed for his own room. 

Ron waited until the door closed to step towards Hermione. He looked at her; she was sitting at a desk, a book in front of her and a scroll lying next to it. Her hair was in disarray, like normal, but she still radiated a sense of calm. Her brown eyes were fixed on his face, and never wavered as Ron stepped closer and closer to her. 

He stopped two feet in front of Hermione, and leaned forward with the flowers. "These are for you," he said, blushing. She blushed slightly, and accepted them with a soft "thank you." She smelled them, and smiled at the fragrance that rose to envelop her. 

Ron waited until she put the bouquet down on the table next to her homework to sit down next to her. He turned to face her, and she did the same. 

"Hermione, I've known you for five years, and they've all been amazing. We've shared some—okay, a lot—of differences, but I think we would be great as a couple. I want to give us a shot, if you are willing." He looked into her eyes again, and waited for her response. In his head, he was running through the possible situations on what to do when she said 'yes'.

_Okay, you can try to kiss her, but don't bungle it up! You can't make things awkward so early. Just ask her to go to Hogsmeade with you next Friday after class, _he told himself. He came to again, and smiled at Hermione hopefully. 

She smiled back. "No, Ron," she said. 

Ron shook his head. "What did you just say?" He asked, astounded. 

She smiled again. "I said 'no', Ron. I meant it." 

"Oh." Ron slumped back into his chair. He stared at the table for a moment, sulking slightly. He finally asked, "Why?" 

Hermione said, "Ron, look at me." When he didn't, she placed a hand on his chin and raised it to meet her gaze. She nodded. "Now, let's think this through logically, okay?" 

Ron frowned. "Logically? What do you mean?"  
  
Hermione nodded once more. "You guys all accuse me of being a bookworm, so let me test a little theory on you. Ron, how often did you think about me yesterday?" 

Ron's frown lessened slightly, puzzled by her question. "Well, I…" 

Hermione cut him off quickly. "I don't mean dreaming about snogging together, or going out together. I just want to know how much you think about me. Just me. Plain old Hermione, your best friend. I'll allow you some romantic thoughts, but I don't mean anything physical happening between us." 

Ron wracked his brain, trying to remember. "Yesterday… why don't you ask about today?" 

"Because you were thinking all day about asking me out, so it doesn't count. I'm trying to show you a regular day, when it's like any other normal day," she answered. 

"Umm… Five minutes?" Ron said, a bit sheepishly. 

Hermione smiled fondly at him. "Now, does that seem like a reasonable amount of time thinking about the person you like and want to go out with?" 

Ron shook his head. "No, not really." 

Hermione said, "Well, you want to know what I think? You just gave into pressure. There's so much hype about you, Harry, and me, and that we should be together. I mean, the general Hogwarts community sees us arguing together so much! And remember the debacle after the Yule Ball last year? I'm sure a lot of the people saw our argument, and thought, _'well, isn't it obvious they like each other? It won't be long until they're together.'_" She placed a hand on his knee.  
  
"You think that we should be together because everyone thinks that way. But I'm going to tell you, love doesn't work that way. I can't go out with you because I love so—because I don't love you. We're really good friends, Ron, but we wouldn't be a good couple." 

She waited patiently as Ron mulled over that in his head. He finally nodded. "I see what you're saying, Hermione. Very logical." 

Hermione nodded. "Now, when I start occupying your mind all the time, you let me know and we'll give it a shot, okay?" 

Ron smiled at her. "I'm going to hold you to that promise. But you're right, we're the best of friends, and I love you for it." 

Hermione groaned. "I should watch what I say around you. You're bound to twist everything I say." 

They stood up, ready to go to bed themselves. They gave each other a friendly hug, and Hermione bent down to gather her homework. Ron was at the foot of the stairs when something she almost let slip suddenly popped up in his head. He turned around quickly. 

"Hermione?" He asked mischievously. Hermione looked up from her work. "You were about to say '_I love someone else'_. Don't lie to me, you just can't. So, Hermione, tell me who the secret lover of yours is?" He walked towards her deliberately, smiling when her face turned pale. 

"I- I don't know what you're talking about, Ron!" She said quickly, with the pitch of her voice rising with each word. A panicked look began to come across her features, and a rosy blush came over her cheeks. 

Ron grinned. "So, little Miss Bookworm has fallen in love. No wonder you didn't accept my invitation." He leaned forward until his face was inches from her burning face. "Now, is he the studly Quidditch type, or someone you met at the library? Someone who you think of all the time, and someone who smiles at you in that special way?" She shook her head frantically, trying to deny everything. 

"Is it Neville? Seamus? Justin? Fred? Have you gone and fallen in love for the weaker yet fairer sex?" At that, Hermione hit him on the arm with her book. 

"**Ron!** You… you sick, twisted…" she fumed angrily, as she tried to find a word to describe him. "You sick prat!" she ended up saying lamely. 

Ron smiled. "That's why you love me, Hermione," he said. He leaned back, pretending to act like Hermione. "Now, let's think this through logically. It must be someone you spend a lot of time either talking to, looking at, or touching. If my memory serves me correctly, you've spent a lot of time talking to me and Harry, a lot of time cursing Draco, helping Neville on the Charms homework, and… that's about it. I can't say I know exactly those you stare at, and I'm probably going to strike out on the touching thing. So, my research results lower the available choices quite a bit. Let's go backwards. Hermione, you have **NOT **fallen for Malfoy?" 

Hermione frowned and lifted her book, getting ready to hit him once more. Ron waved her off. "Good, you haven't _completely_ lost your mind. How about Neville? Does his stammering turn you on?" 

Hermione shook her head. "It's not funny to make fun of him, Ron. And for your information, no, I am not going to answer any of your questions." 

Ron shook his head mockingly. "Well, then, I guess I'm just going to have to cross Neville off of that list. We already know what your stance on Ron Weasley is. So…" His voice trailed off as the answer hit him. His mouth fell open slightly. 

He coughed. "Is it… Is it Harry?" When Hermione didn't answer one way or the other, his mouth fell open again, shocked at the answer shown by her guilty face. 

Hermione stared at him, amused. "Close your mouth before flies nest in it, Weasley," she said. She picked up her scroll and started walking towards her room. 

"Wait!" Ron called out, and Hermione stopped. She turned around slowly. 

"Why don't you tell him how you feel?" He asked, his tone finally serious. 

Hermione closed her eyes briefly. "I can't, Ron. We're so great as best friends, I can't risk losing it all because I want to indulge in my hormonal urges. I can't risk alienating him from me; I can't risk to have him not trust me because we break up or something." 

Ron frowned. "You sound like you have it pretty bad. And I think you're wrong. I think Harry loves you, too, and is just as willing to be with you." 

Hermione smiled sadly. "What a great fairy tale ending," she whispered softly, so softly that Ron only barely caught what she said. "Good night, Ron," she said, and turned from him. Her steps grew faster and faster, until she ran up the stairs and closed her door quickly. 

Ron stood there in the common room for a few more moments, before shaking his head. _Things definitely didn't turn out the way I thought it would_, he thought wryly, and he walked to his room. 

The End? 


End file.
